The Library Book

The first book burning recorded by history occurred in 213 BCE. Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang burned any book that challenged or disagreed with his version of historical events. He also burned over 400 scholars alive. The most notorious library burning was that of the Library of Alexandria, which was burned down a few times. The first time was when Julius Caesar invaded the Port of Alexandria in 48 BCE. He only intended to attack the port, but the fire spread to the library. The Egyptian people restored the library and restocked its volumes. It was burned twice more, but the people always restored it. Unfortunately, it was burned for a final and decisive time in 640 CE. Caliph Omar destroyed the library based on the assumption that all of its books either “contradicted the Koran” or supported it, which made the books “redundant” (95). The library burned for six months until it was completely incinerated. The invaders took the few books that survived and used them as fuel for bathhouses. Some theories about the destruction of the Library of Alexandria challenge the primary narrative about arson. Some think that earthquakes and even a reduced financial budget may have caused its failure.